Masterpieces of Classic Greek Drama

233 Pages·2005·3.29 MB·English

by  Helaine Smith

MASTERPIECES
OF CLASSIC
GREEK DRAMA
MASTERPIECES OF
CLASSIC GREEK DRAMA
Ancient Greek drama is the foundation of Western civilization. At the same time,
the world of the Greeks seems distant and exotic to contemporary students. This
introductory guide overviews the historical, political, and cultural background of
Greek drama. Designed for high* school students and undergraduates, this work
begins with an overview of the contexts and terminology of Greek drama.
It then provides detailed discussions of ten widely studied plays:
• Agamemnon
• The Choephoroi
• The Eumenides
• Antigone
• Oedipus
• Oedipus at Colonus
• Medea
• The Bacchae
• The Birds
• Lysistrata
Chapters discuss the playwright's life and dramatic style, the role of myth
in the play, the plot of the work, important speeches, and performance issues.
Each chapter also directs the reader to further resources.
Related Titles:
Masterpieces of French Literature
Masterpieces of 20th-century American Drama
Masterpieces of Modern British and Irish Drama
Masterpieces of Philosophical Literature
ISBN D-313-33Ebfl-l ISBN: 0-313-33268-1
90000
Greenwood Press
88 Post Road West
Westport, CT 06881
www.greenwood.com
Cover design by Richard Rossiter
9»780313H332685
Cover image uScala/Art Resource, NY
MASTERPIECES OF
CLASSIC
GREEK DRAMA
Recent Titles in
Greenwood Introduces Literary Masterpieces
Masterpieces of French Literature
Marilyn S. Severson
Masterpieces of Modern British and Irish Drama
Sanford Sternlicht
Masterpieces of 20th-century American Drama
Susan C. W. Abbotson
MASTERPIECES OF
CLASSIC
GREEK DRAMA
Helaine L. Smith
Greenwood Introduces Literary Masterpieces
GREENWOOD PRESS
Westport, Connecticut • London
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Smith, Helaine.
Masterpieces of classic Greek drama / Helaine Smith.
p. cm. — (Greenwood introduces literary masterpieces, ISSN 1545-6285)
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 0-313-33268-1 (alk. paper)
1. Greek drama—History and criticism—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title. II. Series.
PA3131.S59 2006
882'.0109^1c22 2005019210
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available.
Copyright © 2006 by Helaine L. Smith
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be
reproduced, by any process or technique, without the
express written consent of the publisher.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2005019210
ISBN: 0-313-33268-1
ISSN: 1545-6285
First published in 2006
Greenwood Press, 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc.
www.greenwood.com
Printed in the United States of America
The paper used in this book complies with the
Permanent Paper Standard issued by the National
Information Standards Organization (Z39.48-1984).
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 21
Hiram, Lucille, and Stuart, with love

Contents
Preface ix
Introduction 1
1 Aeschylus: The Agamemnon (458 B.C.) 11
2 Aeschylus: The Choephoroi ("The Libation Bearers") (458 B.C.) 31
3 Aeschylus: The Eumenides (458 B.C.) 45
4 Sophocles: The Antigone (442 B.C.) 63
5 Sophocles: The Oedipus Rex (426 B.C.) 83
6 Sophocles: The Oedipus at Cohnus (406 B.C.,
performed 401 B.C.) 101
7 Euripides: The Medea (431 B.C.) 121
8 Euripides: The Bacchae (406 B.C., performed 405 B.C.) 145
9 Aristophanes: The Birds (414 B.C.) 165
10 Aristophanes: The Lysistrata (411 B.C.) 189
Selected Bibliography 209
Index 213